I would rather fail than play it safe, both in life and in cricket: Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin, the versatile 37-year-old Indian off-spinner, has carved out a unique space for himself in the world of cricket. Not only is he recognized for his remarkable cricketing intellect and skill—boasting an impressive 516 Test wickets—but he is also celebrated as an outspoken voice in the sport, a popular YouTuber, and now, an author. Ashwin’s journey is not just about his accomplishments but also about his fearless approach to life, where he would rather fail than play it safe.
Ashwin’s recently published book, I Have The Streets: A Kutti Cricket Story, co-authored by Sidharth Monga and published by Penguin Random House, has garnered critical acclaim. The book delves into Ashwin’s life up until 2011, offering readers a glimpse into the mind of a man who loves to analyze probabilities and crack the code of difficult batters as much as he enjoys his time on the field.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, Ashwin spoke candidly about his life philosophy. “I am living my life, that’s it. I am not thinking about accomplishing ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’. I am staying in the moment. I am a creative person in general, and if I feel I want to do something, I will go ahead and do it. Right or wrong is something that I will assimilate later,” he said. This statement captures the essence of Ashwin’s approach to life—an approach that is deeply rooted in creativity and fearlessness.
However, Ashwin admits that he wasn’t always this fearless. As a child, he struggled with insecurity, but over time, he learned to overcome it. This transformation has been crucial to his development as a cricketer. From bowling carrom balls on the streets of Chennai to becoming India’s premier spinner, Ashwin’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Criticism has never fazed Ashwin. Instead, he has used it as motivation, consistently responding with exceptional performances on the field. His ability to maintain mental equilibrium despite external noise has been a key factor in his success. Ashwin attributes this to what he calls “system optimization,” a term borrowed from his engineering background, which allows him to take risks without fearing failure.
“I’m not insecure at all. I would rather fail in life than be absolutely safe. That’s my character. I don’t have the common insecurities that people have,” Ashwin asserted, explaining how breaking away from his insecurities gave him a profound understanding of how to exploit others’ vulnerabilities—whether on the cricket field or in life.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for Ashwin. It was during this period of global crisis that he recalibrated his approach to life. Like many others, Ashwin faced the trauma of seeing loved ones battle the deadly virus. But it also gave him time to reflect and reassess his priorities.
“The time that I have is pretty limited. I do plan, but for me, it’s about living life. I felt cricket took away a lot of my time since 2010, but COVID gave me a chance to take a break, and you know, assess where I was,” Ashwin recalled. This introspection led him to launch his YouTube channel, where his articulate views on cricket and its laws have attracted over 1.5 million subscribers.
For Ashwin, life is about embracing risks and finding joy in the process. He shared a life lesson he learned during a visit to a casino in 2009. “If you go to the Casino thinking of how much money you will make, you will pretty much end up without a rupee. But when you go with the intention of having fun and wanting to lose the money that you have, you always go back a much richer person,” he explained. This experience reinforced his belief in the importance of approaching life with a sense of playfulness rather than fear.
Books, movies, and even web series also serve as sources of inspiration for Ashwin. He acknowledges that writing his story for the world to see carries risks. It involves opening up about personal experiences that might not always be pleasant and could potentially hurt others. However, Ashwin views these painful episodes as necessary lessons for personal growth.
One such lesson was learned during his time with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In 2010, despite being a key contributor to the team’s success, a CSK official refused his request for a good IPL ticket. While the incident could have left Ashwin bitter, he chose to see it differently.
“Look, people who give you an opportunity to learn harsh lessons in life are Gurus in my book. I didn’t want to go and confront the guy. But for me, it is an incident, it happened, and it fuelled the fire in me,” Ashwin said. This experience fueled his desire to become not just a better cricketer but also a better person.
Ashwin’s journey is a testament to his belief that the world is not always a fair place. “It’s not. See, a lot of people come to me and say, what goes around comes around. The world is a very fair place—it’s not. It can be very unfair to a lot of people. When you win, somebody else loses,” he observed, highlighting the clarity of thought that has guided him through both cricket and life.
In the end, Ashwin’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and a relentless pursuit of personal and professional growth. Whether it’s on the cricket field or in life, Ashwin has consistently chosen to embrace risks, learn from every experience, and live life to the fullest—without fear.
